DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran. File | Photo credit: R. Ashok
The Madras High Court on Wednesday (March 25, 2026) granted Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Member of Parliament (MP) Dayanidhi Maran’s plea to summon the Department of Telecommunications Secretary to depose as a trial witness before a Chennai court in an illegal telephone exchange case booked for alleged offenses committed during the 204th between Union Minister.
Judge AD Jagadish Chandira wrote: “In the present case, where the allegations relate to the provision and use of telecommunications infrastructure, the interpretation of administrative rules and the functioning of public sector entities during the relevant period, the evidence of persons who were directly associated with the relevant administrative processes assumes significance.”
He said that the testimony of these persons can shed light on the factual and procedural aspects on which the charges are based and can help the Special Court for MP/MLA cases in Chennai to appreciate the evidence already on record in its proper perspective. Therefore, it was necessary to summon these persons and examine them as court witnesses to discern the truth, he added.
“In matters relating to departmental facilities and administrative privileges, the scope and nature of the authority may vary depending on the position held and the functional requirements of the office. In such circumstances, the person who can best clarify the administrative framework governing such authority would be the Secretary (Telecom), who functions as the highest executive authority,” the judge said.
What is this case about?
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against Mr. Maran and many other co-accused. According to the prosecution, at his Boat Club residence and home office in Chennai, in connivance with senior officials of BSNL, he fraudulently procured a large number of telecommunication equipment and allowed the use of such equipment for the business purposes of Sun TV Network Limited.
Alleging that the CBI had not examined many individuals as prosecution witnesses, thereby depriving them of the opportunity to cross-examine these witnesses, Mr. Maran and Sun TV Network CTO S. Kannan approached the High Court to allow the summoning of these individuals as trial witnesses. Mr. Maran also insisted on the production of certain documents essential to the case.
Justice Chandira allowed the sole petition of Mr. Kannan and allowed the summons of Rakesh Kumar Somani, who served as AGM (Vigilance), BSNL, New Delhi. Similarly, the judge granted five separate motions filed by Mr. Maran and allowed the subpoenas of the persons named in them as trial witnesses. However, he rejected the former minister’s sixth request to summon persons named A. Mahalingam and Mohan Lal Sindhi as court witnesses.
Published – 25 March 2026 23:30 IST
